Hotel Omashu
by Lady Sayomi
Summary: Sequel to Camp Avatar. Modern Day AU. Katara and Zuko meet again at Song's swanky hotel for a camp reunion, where more adventures ensue the new couple. Zutara!
1. Prologue

**Hotel Omashu: Prologue**

**Hello fellow readers! In case you were wondering, this is the sequel to Camp Avatar. If you're confused, go back, read it, and review it, please. **

**To all my Camp Avatar readers: Thanks for sticking with me! Remember to review!**

**This story is set a few weeks after the teens get back from Camp.**

OOOOOOO

**Synopsis of Camp Avatar:**

**Zuko and Katara end up at the same summer camp, Camp Avatar. Their first impression was not good, seeing as they got into a fight and then got in trouble. But little by little, they began to come together through camp activities. After a cheer-off, canoeing trauma, camp fires, and some sneaking out, they decide it would be best if they didn't see each other any more, since the tensions between them were obvious. But after a while, they find this hard to do, so Zuko admits his feelings openly and asks Katara to the dance that is at the end of the week. But at the same time, Jet harbors a crush on Katara, and tries to compete with Zuko for Katara. However, Katara does not like Jet, and turns to Zuko for protection. At the dance, the couple has fun with each other, but Katara's night is definitely worsened by Jet's actions. Shaken, she and Zuko temporarily leave, and Katara thanks Zuko for the night by kissing him. They leave the next day with the knowledge that they will see each other again at a camp reunion in a few weeks at Song's mom's hotel. Song is a friend of Katara's at camp.**

OOOOOOO

"Sokka, hurry up! We'll miss our bus!" Katara screamed up the steps towards her brother's room. Her cheeks were flushed from the last-minute packing she had just been doing.

"I need fifteen more minutes!" Sokka shouted back. Katara sighed, pushed back her hair, and put down her bags. They would probably be leaving in about an hour. Sokka always took forever.

Katara's dad, Hakoda, came into the room holding three bus tickets.

"Here kiddo. Take these bus tickets so we won't lose them." He handed her the tickets.

"Thanks dad. I'm actually really glad you're coming with us to the hotel." She hugged him tightly, and he returned it.

"Did you think I was going let you go alone?" He laughed.

"No. But still." She released him.

"Actually, it was pretty lucky that I can do some business near this hotel of yours." He set his bags down by the door.

"You do remember our agreement though, right?" Hakoda pretended to look sternly at his daughter.

"Yeah. This is my birthday present." Katara grinned. It was well worth it. The thought of seeing her camp friends again was the best birthday present anyone could give her, especially the summer before her senior year.

She was going to see Suki and Song again! Suki had been her best and first new friend at camp, and they bunked together, along with Song. Suki and Sokka had a thing for each other, and had gone to the dance together. She was probably why Sokka was taking so long to pack; he most likely wanted to bring all his "cool clothes" and such.

Then there were her old friends who were going to be there – Aang and Toph. They had been her best friends since gradeschool, and happened to go to camp this year with her.

And lastly, there was Zuko. Katara smiled dreamily as she thought about him, and instantly she felt a warm feeling spread from her stomach to her toes. He had been her boyfriend from camp. He was the guy who knew her well, even after only a week. He had been her first kiss, sad to say since she was a junior, and she would remember that forever.

Katara's daydream was stopped suddenly by Sokka thundering down the steps, bags and all.

"Let's HIT the open ROAD!" he sang as he came down. Katara rolled her eyes and picked up her stuff.

"Let's just go before I change my mind about traveling with you." He grinned and their little family walked out to the door to get to the bus stop.

A little while later, they were safely on the bus. Katara was filled with apprehension about the approaching weekend, mainly about Zuko. What if he had met someone else? What if their exchanges were completely awkward? She had reason to worry; she hadn't talked to him or seen him in weeks. The last thing he had done was kiss her; what if his feelings had changed? What if he considered her just another summer fling?

She began to bite her nails, as she always did when she was worried. Even thought she thought Zuko wasn't the kind of guy who had 'summer flings', she didn't really know him as well as she thought she should.

"Katara, what's wrong with you? You like you're about to pass out! Was it those fireflakes we ate before we left? I always say you can't each too much spicy food." Sokka looked at her, apparently trying to look concerned but only looking goofy.

Katara's memory brought back the image of her practically dieing as she tried to spit out her spicy food before the dance. Zuko had been with her, and they had both ordered hot food as a challenge…….

"Katara? EARTH TO KATARA!" Sokka snapped his fingers in front of her face, breaking her reverie.

"Wha…oh, sorry. I'm fine. Just thinking." She sighed.

"You've been doing that a lot lately. There's got to be something wrong with you." He put his hand to her forehead before she smacked it away.

"I'm FINE." She snapped.

"That's more like the Katara I know!" Sokka cheered.

"Don't hurt me." He whimpered as she raised a threatening fist. She dropped her hand and turned back to the window, pressing her nose on the glass and making it fog up.

Sokka sighed in relief and pulled out his headphones, which he promptly began blasting. Katara winced as she heard the ear-grating music.

She resumed her staring out the window, praying with every passing tree and sign that Zuko still liked her.

OOOOOOO

"Katara, get up! Let's get off TO THE HOTEL!!!" Sokka sang. Katara quickly jerked awake, rubbing the sleep for her eyes. One look out the darkening window told her that they were far away from home; the nice little suburbs had vanished to be replaced by big buildings. BIG ones.

"I'm guessing we're here." Katara took her bags from the overhead compartment and began to make her way down the aisle. Sokka and her father followed, exiting after her.

They walked a few blocks, taking in the tall buildings that encased the streets. People bustled to and fro, clutching expensive purses and cups of coffee.

"You'll fit in here, dad." Katara said.

"This is the business district." Her father smiled. "Of course I'll fit in."

"So many important people." Sokka began to imitate their high struts, but tripped and fell.

"You're silly." Katara pulled him up.

"How much farther?" she asked.

"We should be about there right now." Hakoda squinted at the little sticky note in his hand.

They all looked up at a huge cylindrical building with coral coloring. The word "Omashu" was blazoned across the front. Above "Omashu" were windows with balconies jutting out.

"Whoa, Song didn't mention how nice it was." Katara whistled.

"I'm in heaven!" Sokka laughed. Hakoda smiled at his son and daughter's reactions.

"Alright guys, I'm going to leave you here. I'll be back late; I have a conference." He hugged Katara and Sokka and handed them his bags.

"Here's our registration. Get someone to help you find our rooms." He handed them some papers before waving them off.

"This is so perfect." Sokka was practically drooling in anticipation. Katara hauled her luggage into the grand lobby. When she was inside, her jaw dropped. This was a snooty hotel if she had ever seen one. Matrons and maids hustled around while nicely-dressed guests stood around holding expensive suitcases and clutching glasses of some bubbly drink; probably Perrier or champagne.

"Surreal. Sokka, I think I'm overdressed." Katara smirked as the words came out of her mouth.

They signed in, and stood in the lobby as their bags were whisked away.

"SOKKA! KATARA!" they both turned around as someone crashed into them, hugging them fiercely.

"Suki!" Katara screamed back. She hugged her friend tightly, and the three of them collapsed on a couch by the desk.

"We thought you were coming earlier! Shame on you for keeping us waiting." She pretended to scold them.

"What's up?" Sokka asked, grinning insanely at the sight of his girlfriend.

"Not much. Some of us are here, and I just came down to see if anyone else is coming." She smiled.

"I didn't expect the hotel to be like this." Katara said.

"NONE of us did. Song's so modest. You wouldn't know her mom owns a five-star hotel!"

"I would have been happy with a motel! I had no idea!" Katara grinned.

As Suki and Sokka began to talk, Katara began to tune them out. Seeing her friend here was better then expected, and the swanky hotel was just an added bonus. Suddenly, everything seemed hilarious, and everything was going to turn out alright. Even seeing Zuko again.

"Let's go upstairs." Suki began to pull them across the foyer, almost bumping into people as she pulled them to a glass box.

"What's this?" Katara asked.

"Elevator, silly." Suki pressed a button pad to the side of the box, and the doors opened. Katara gingerly stepped in, expecting the glass floor to break as she put her weight on it. Surprisingly, it didn't, and the doors closed. The floor began to shrink away as the elevator chugged upwards.

"That's scary!" Katara couldn't pull her eyes away from the see-through floor. Suki laughed, and clutched to Sokka.

"So scary." She teased, looking into Sokka's eyes. Katara grimaced at the gooey show of affection.

"Geez, what floor are we on?" Sokka asked as Katara continued to watch the floor.

"Oh, just below the penthouses. They're so beautiful; I feel sinful staying in them." Suki confirmed.

"Whoa." Katara's eyes grew wide.

"Have you ever stayed in a hotel before?" Suki giggled.

"Not one this nice! This is completely new!" Katara resolved to stop ogling.

"Yeah, yeah. It's not that big of a deal."

"Like you've been in a five-star hotel before." Katara shot back to Sokka. He shrugged as the elevator stopped and they stepped out.

"I can see the rooms across the building!" Katara laughed. She ran to railing that wrapped around the inside of the hotel. It was built so the rooms wrapped around in a circle, and the doors faced the inside of the building. It was like being in a cylinder. A giant, richly decorated cylinder.

"Look down at the lobby!" Suki joined her and pointed below.

"Whoa. Oh, I have to stop saying that!" Katara growled.

"Come on, let's go see the others. They're in my room right now."

Katara followed her around the railing to a room numbered 996. Suki slid a card through the room slot, and pushed the door open.

"Hey guys, look who's here!" Suki yelled as she went in. Katara heard feet scrambling, and some shoving.

She glanced around. The room had white walls while all the furniture was apple red. A flatscreen TV hung on the wall surrounded by quashy couches and bright lights. The far wall was a huge window looking into the crowded streets of the city below, promising a quick death if one were to fall from it.

Suddenly, as Katara stared out the window, she found herself looking into the golden eyes of one of the guys who came around the corner.

"Zuko!" she ran down the short hall and jumped him, hugging him tightly. He pulled her off the ground.

"Hey Katara!" he grinned, his mouth inches away from hers.

"I missed you a lot. It was totally boring without your sparkling presence." She buried her head in his neck as she smirked.

"I wish I could say the same." He joked as he gently set her down, and she turned to see who else was there.

"Song!" she ran into her friend's arms.

"This was the best idea ever. You never told me the hotel was this nice!" Katara said.

"I'm sorry. Glad you're here! Come on, we're eating out tonight." Song laughed and pointed out the window to the city.

"Let's go then." Katara paused and looked around.

"Where are Aang and Toph?" she asked, puzzled.

Song's shrugged.

"They're coming sometime tomorrow."

"Let's go!" Katara put her arms around her friends as they walked out of their room, feeling on top of the world. What the hell had she been _worried_ about?

OOOOOOOOOOO

**Alright guys, what do you think?**

**Feel free to PM me and ask what's going on. **


	2. Confession

**Hotel Omashu: Chapter 1**

**Whoa, thanks for all the reviews! I am very happy to see such enthusiastic readers!**

**Now that finals are OVER, thank god, I can finally update more often. I hope it pleases.**

OOOOOO

After a nice trip down the fascinating elevator and a little walk a couple blocks down the street, the group arrived at a restaurant called 'Sumi's'. It was more like a café then a restaurant, but Katara was NOT complaining. As they were sitting down at a table-cloth draped booth, she was positioned so she wasn't next to Zuko. She tried not to let her disappointment show as she sat next to Song and Suki.

"This place is so cute." Suki gushed. Song nodded.

"It's been here ever since Mom opened the hotel. I go here all the time!" she smiled. Katara took out her little menu and glanced at it. A bigger portion of it was filled with coffee drinks and pastries.

"Is there actually dinner food here?" Katara asked.

"Well, not really." Song shook her head apologetically. "Just get some coffee or something; that way we can stay up late." She giggled.

"Now that sounds suggestive." Zuko rolled his eyes. Katara blushed slightly, even though she didn't know why.

After ordering five coffees and a tray of delicate croissants, everyone settled in to wait for their food. Katara didn't really pay much attention to what Song, Suki, or Sokka were conversing about, and absentmindedly swung her legs. Suddenly, she brushed someone's foot accidentally.

She was about to apologize when she felt that person's foot gently brush hers in return, almost shyly.

She looked up to see who it was. Sokka? Nope, he was too busy with Suki. Suki or Song? That would just have been weird.

Cautiously, she looked over at Zuko, who was for some reason blushing furiously while he tried to look bored.

Getting an idea, she slid her shoes off with her feet and poked Zuko gently in the leg. In turn, Zuko put his foot over hers, almost possessively. Katara felt her face burn, but she grinned insanely as she felt a warm feeling spread from her toes to her belly.

She looked over at him and smiled as she took her foot and put it over top of his.

He took his out from under and gently pushed her leg. She pushed back a little harder, and before long it was an all out battle between Zuko and Katara's feet, with no clear winner.

Katara tried hard to keep from bursting out laughing. Zuko was obviously trying to win their war without hurting her, and she found it adorable. She pulled back her leg in an attempt to end their battle once and for all, and brought it swinging forward.

Her foot made contact with something, it just wasn't Zuko's leg. Katara jumped back as her foot crunched into the leg of the table, and it lurched forward, spilling Suki's water all over Sokka.

As Katara righted herself, she looked up to see three pairs of eyes staring at her in surprise. The other pair was averted.

"Katara? Are you ok?" Suki raised an eyebrow, handing Sokka a napkin as he whimpered about his favorite shirt.

"Fine….fine! Just a reflex, I don't know what I was doing…heheh, sorry." She blathered on as she tried to come up with a logical explanation. She took a deep breath to explain, but before letting it out she glanced at Zuko, who was trying to hold in a laugh. His shoulders lightly shook as he put a hand over his mouth.

It was then that Katara lost it. Her breath came out as a belly laugh before she even knew what she was laughing about. Zuko took one look at her and began laughing as well while the others stared.

"You know what, I don't even want to ask." Song grinned as she realized what had happened.

"Excuse me." Katara got and went towards the restroom, wincing slightly as her bruised toes were pushed into motion.

She went inside and relieved herself, washing her hands and following her normal toiletry routine. She opened the door to go back out, and found Zuko waiting for her with a sly smile on his face. His eyes glinted as he saw her, and she felt her heart rise in her chest.

He grabbed her in his arms as she rushed towards him.

"I missed you." Katara simply whispered before her mouth was covered with his.

He kissed her passionately, but not lustfully. Her hands wound their way to his shoulders before she pulled away.

"I missed you too. Our little skirmishes were always amusing." He said in his grating voice.

"You can say that again. Why do I always manage to make a fool of myself?" she shook her head playfully.

"It's cute. You're a magnet for accidents." He smirked.

"Are you calling me clumsy?" Katara's eyes burned flirtatiously.

"Why, I just said you seemed to have a lot of mishaps."

"Most of them are because of you!" Katara snorted.

"You keep telling yourself that." Zuko laughed softly.

"You're just bad at footsie!" Katara blurted. Her eyes widened and she took her hands away from his shoulders to cover her mouth. Zuko laughed harder at her slip.

"My apologies. I'll do better next time." He grinned before going into the men's restroom, leaving Katara in the foyer between the two restrooms, actually hoping there was a next time.

OOOOOO

"Here ya'll go, enjoy!" a waitress brought their coffee and croissants as Zuko finally joined them at the table.

"Thank you." Song graciously handed out the food before taking a sip of her chai latte.

"So Sokka, what have you been up to?" Suki asked as she leaned forward.

"I've been working out a lot, going out, hanging out." Sokka shrugged nonchalantly while Katara rolled her eyes toward Zuko at his mention of working out. Sometimes Sokka merely thought he was working out while his skinny arms begged to differ.

"What about you?" He asked Suki.

"I'm training to get my second black belt in Gatka. It's actually been really intense." Zuko looked at her.

"You take Gatka? With traditional weapons?" He asked, puzzled.

"Yep. I've been doing it for years." Suki restrained herself from subconsciously puffing her chest out as she said this.

"I've studied that martial style before. I use broadswords." Zuko nodded seriously while Katara wondered what they were talking about. In the corner of her mind she felt left out, but she quickly pushed that feeling away.

"Whoa, I'm impressed. We should spar sometime." Suki said innocently. Zuko nodded before Sokka jumped back into the conversation

"You'll do great." He beamed at his girlfriend.

"Katara, what have you been doing?" Song asked. Katara paused, considering her answer.

"I've been swimming a lot. I want to make the varsity team so bad!" she said.

"I also got a babysitting job." She continued.

"I could never do that. I mean, watching someone else's bratty kids? It's never really worked for me." Suki admitted.

"What? I could totally see you being great with little kids. You're too friendly for kids not to like you." Katara said.

"Ha! Nope." Suki grinned.

"This _has_ been such a busy summer." Zuko ran his hand through his hair.

"Well, it is the summer before senior year. Just think, this time next year we'll be going to college." Song sighed. Everyone fell quiet as they contemplated the impending future.

"The thought scares me." Katara broke the silence. Everyone nodded and simultaneously took a sip of coffee at the same time, then laughed.

"I think that's enough thinking about the future. We're teenagers who are currently staying in a fabulous hotel; we don't need worries right now!" Sokka put on his best snobby accent.

Katara laughed along with the others again, but stopped when she noticed Zuko wasn't laughing. She sent him a questioning look, but he responded with a glance that she interpreted to mean "later."

She raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

"Let's go back to the hotel and order room service." Suki said. She grabbed Sokka's arm and pulled him up, motioning for everyone else to follow. Katara and Zuko got up and trailed behind a little bit.

"Are you okay?" she asked him. They walked side-by-side out the café and onto the completely dark streets.

"I don't want to burden you or anything…….especially on our vacation." He looked at Katara seriously, causing her to giggle.

"You're being to serious! Tell me what's wrong." She hooked her arm in his, causing him to turn his head in surprise.

"I don't know if I am going to college." He said suddenly, no pain in his voice. Katara's eyes widened in shock.

"Wha...what?" she asked, completely taken aback. She had not been expecting this.

"After my mom died…..let's just say money is a little tight."

Katara tightened her grip a little.

"I'm sorry. No one really knew….."

"I know." He sighed.

"There are so many things you can do to get money! We could try to make some this weekend instead of lazing around and taking advantage of Song's mom." Zuko grinned at the last statement.

"What could I do? We're only going to be here for a few days." He suppressed an eye roll.

"Come on Zuko, you're smarter then this. We're in the business district! Surely we can sell something or another and make a little money."

"Katara, listen to what you are saying. I mean it." Zuko tried to convince Katara out of her crazy idea, but she wouldn't listen to anything else. Her eyes had a determined glint in them, and she carried herself a little higher.

"No Zuko. Don't try to talk me out of this! We are going to make some extra money for you. I'm sure we can come up with a great idea to do….er….something! Please, can we at least try?" She stopped, not caring that the other were completely out of sight by now.

One look at Katara, and Zuko knew he couldn't refuse anything that she asked. No matter how stupid or crazy it sounded.

"You're insane. If you want to make money this weekend, be my guest." Katara tackled him in a hug.

"Come on, let's go brainstorm." They continued down the street and went back to the hotel, ideas blossoming inside Katara's head.

OOOOOO

**Okay reviewers, here is my lame attempt at an actual plotline. There will be plenty of comedy as Katara and Zuko actually bring their schemes to the streets. Please review and tell me what you think! If it is lame, I will COMPLETELY rewrite the entire chapter.**

**BTW – I got this idea from watching "The Apprentice", a business reality show. **


	3. Runin With the Devil

**Hotel Omashu: Chapter 2**

**I'm back! And better then ever. Hopefully all of you faithful, wonderful reviewers have still stuck with me, though I don't blame you if you haven't. **

**There are changes in the plot, because after deliberation……..well, you'll see. **

OOOOOO

"Katara….we're not doing this." Zuko scowled at the girl pacing in front of him. The others were all in the living room of their massive hotel dwelling, while they were in the bedroom, alone.

Katara sighed, and plopped down on a chair in the corner of the room, sinking into the fluffy cushions.

"For once, you might be right. I can't think of anything we could do to raise money for you." She started out the window into the nighttime skyline of the city, her eyes glazed in thought.

"That was a stupid idea. I'm sorry." she continued.

Zuko stood up and walked to her.

"This is vacation. Let's forget anything was ever said. I don't car about getting money right now, so let's just enjoy ourselves." he said as he pulled Katara up off the chair. Katara smirked and inclined her head slightly, letting him know that was ok.

"All this brainstorming has made me hungry." she yawned and rubbed her stomach. "I could go with a snack." Katara took one step toward the closed door of the room, only to find that someone was blocking her.

"If you get between a hungry girl and her snack……." Katara warned as she fake-glared at Zuko's smirking, _gorgeous_, face.

"What snack are you hungry for?" he asked, and Katara noticed his voice had gone lower. She suddenly grinned as she reached up for his shoulders.

Their lips met. Katara felt shivers all over her body as Zuko's warm lips covered hers repeatedly, and she ran her hands up to his hair, and began gently rubbing them over his shag.

They broke apart, both breathing harder then normal.

"You know, I'm not hungry anymore." Katara smiled and pulled her hands out his hair and trailed them down to the back of his neck.

"I'll take the credit for that." Zuko grinned. "Come on. Lets go anyway; they might have stuff downstairs."

Katara took his hand, and opened the door, the two of them exiting together. She wiped her lips, still relishing the taste that was purely Zuko.

After a quick explanation to Sokka as to where they were going, they left the room altogether. They had barely taken two steps, when Katara spotted something outside the room next to theirs.

"Hey look, a cleaning cart." Katara pointed out. Zuko blinked twice, as if remembering something.

"What, have you had a bad experience with these things?" Katara teased.

"No. But it does bring back memories…" he stood still, still staring at the cart.

"Memories of what? Are you ok?" Katara faced him with a worried look on her face.

"My dad pushed me down a hallway in one of these. That was one of the few times he actually did anything with me that was…fun." Zuko's face had relaxed, but Katara saw that he was still thinking about it. She squeezed his hand, but a question popped into her mind before any comforting words did.

"You can do that?" She asked.

"What?" Zuko snapped out of his reverie.

"Ride on these things? I've never noticed they had wheels." She bent down, and to her astonishment, discovered they _did_.

Zuko nodded.

"Here. Push me." Katara let go of his hand and began clearing cleaning supplies off the top tray of the metal cart. It was big, bigger than Katara had ever seen, and she was sure it could hold her.

"What? You're too big!" Katara snapped around, but Zuko saw the humor in her eyes as he spoke.

"Well, then I'll push you." Katara finished clearing the tray, and bowed, as if showing Zuko into a limo, and not a cleaning cart.

"That would be mature of me, riding a cart at this age." He crossed his arms, but before he noticed what Katara was doing, she gently pushed him onto the cart.

"Hey!" he yelled, losing his indifferent mask. Katara bent close to his face.

"Let's have some fun." she laughed. Zuko rolled his eyes, suppressing a grin. Katara began turning the cart around, grunting as she did so.

"You think I'm heavy?" she asked once she turned the cart around.

"Yeah. Now push!"

"Bossy."

"Real mature."

Katara pushed the cart, and it started to move faster.

"Whoa!" Zuko gripped the metal sides of the cart, wishing he had a helmet, or a brakes.

Katara kept pushing faster and faster, and they picked up speed, she jumped on the bottom tray.

"Woo-hoo!" she yelled, throwing her arms around Zuko. She laughed as Zuko's hair blew in her face, and closed her eyes.

She could feel them whizzing over the nubby hallway carpet, bouncing lightly. She could also feel Zuko underneath her arms. One of her hands was crossed over his heart, and she felt it pounding.

This _is_ a great adrenaline rush, Katara decided, still closing her eyes.

When she opened her eyes, her smile faded.

"ZUKO, TURN!" she yelled into his hair. The cart was coming to a sharp corner in the hallway, and a hotel room door was rushing toward them, growing closer and closer.

Katara's eyes widened in fear, and she shut her eyes as she squeezed Zuko tighter, hoping she wouldn't break any bones if they crashed.

Zuko wasn't happy about being in front, but he had to be the man here. For a millisecond, he knew this wasn't exactly a manly situation, what with him riding on top of a cleaning cart with a girl holding on to him as they hurtled toward a closed door.

He gripped the one side of the card, and pulled, leaning his weight the opposite way. The shift in weight tipped the cart sharply, and Katara gasped as she was thrown from the back.

She landed on the floor, and stood up to see if Zuko needed help.

She stood up quickly, ignoring her bleeding lip, and immediately saw Zuko……riding down the hall, laughing his deep laugh. He glanced back to see Katara picking herself up off the floor, and his first immediate thought was that she was hurt.

He jumped off, landing gracefully as the cart continued to hurtle down the hall. He ran over to Katara.

"Are you ok?" he asked, looking into her face.

Katara was touched when she saw the concern in his eyes. She shut her eyes, and for a minute, Zuko thought she was going to cry.

But she threw her head back and laughed. She simply shook with laughter as Zuko surveyed her form.

"Zuko, that was great!" she said once she regained her breath. She hugged him, still laughing, and pulled him onto the floor in a tackle.

"You're bleeding." Zuko said seriously, not caring that he was on the floor.

"I just bit my lip, I'm ok." she said as he wiped off the blood with his thumb.

"Thanks." she said. "I can see why you and your dad did that." she continued.

She expected Zuko's face to tighten, but he semi-smiled instead.

"I'll admit, it was entertaining." he said, pulling her up. They both stood up and straightened their clothes, quiet for a minute.

"You still want that snack?" Zuko asked. Katara shrugged.

"I've had enough for this night." They turned away from the elevator down the hall, and started to walk back to the room.

"NONO! NO YOU DON"T!" Katara looked up, shocked, to see a rather large, Hispanic maid running down the hall toward them. She was tall, and a bit on the heavy side, but still ran quickly. Her face was one of rage, and there was no mistaking what she might do if she were angered.

Zuko thrust Katara's shoulder the other way, turning her toward the elevator.

"Get in the lift!" He pushed her, and she started running, Zuko behind her.

"YOU THOUGHT YOU COULD JUST TAKE MY CART AND TRASH IT, EH? EL NINOS DE DIABLO!" the maid cried, half in Spanish.

Katara squeaked in fright, and ran faster. She reached the elevator, and pounded the down button next to the door, hoping it was on this floor. Zuko caught up with her, and shoved her closer to the door, as if trying to shield her.

The maid turned the corner where Zuko and Katara had so recently almost crashed, and came closer and closer. Katara let out another squeak, trying to say something, but nothing came out. Her heart pounded as she prayed to every god that an elevator would soon come.

The down button light flashed, and the door opened with a ding.

Katara and Zuko fell in, and Zuko jumped up, hitting the 'Close' button. The door closed just as the deranged woman reached the elevator entrance.

"YOU BETTER NOT COME BACK---" her words were cut off as the elevator lifted.

"Zuko, go down! We can't go up!" Katara stood up as she felt them going upwards.

"I can't control that! Someone up there must have needed the elevator." he jabbed his finger up as he spoke.

Katara took a deep breath.

"That was scary. If we hadn't made it……"

"That devil woman would have beaten us to death." Zuko finished.

Katara nodded.

"There's no lack of excitement around here." she muttered.

Zuko acknowledged this as the elevator stopped and the door opened. A man stood there, about to get on.

"Please sir, don't come on!" Katara pleaded. "People are after us!" She went on.

The man's puzzled face took in their wild faces and eyes, and their mussed clothes. He was just about to speak when Zuko heard a noise coming from a door labeled 'Stairs.' on their level.

"Oh.My.God, she's coming up!" Katara whispered, grimacing.

"Sorry, no room." Zuko slammed the 'Close' button, and the man backed away, staring as if he had just seen a ghost.

"Did you see his face? I wish I had a camera." Katara couldn't resist smiling as she spoke.

"That was close. I forgot there are stairs in every floor of the hotel." Zuko said, unsmiling at her remark.

"Are you sure you're alright?" he asked concernedly. Katara nodded, still smiling.

The elevator continued it's climb downward as they stood in silence.

"Zuko?" Katara asked.

"Yeah?" he asked, turning toward her.

"I don't think we should come back tonight." she sighed.

Zuko raised his eyebrow, although he had been thinking the same thing.

"Well, I don't want that lady to find us….maybe if we come back tomorrow night she will cool down……we could stay at another place." Katara continued, realizing how stupid the idea sounded.

Zuko's golden eyes flashed before he spoke.

"But how will we get money? And what about your father and everyone else?" he asked, a skeptical look on his face.

"I don't know." Katara sighed as the elevator came to a halt at the ground floor, and opened its doors. The duo stepped out into the grand hotel lobby and made for the revolving door that was the exit.

"I'm going to call everyone, and tell them we'll be out for the night." Zuko spoke as he and Katara stepped outside. Katara grinned, and gave him a hug.

"Thanks." she said. Zuko reached for his cell phone, while Katara held the other one, wondering how their night was going to go.

OOOOOOO

**How was that? I'm very rusty, so I deserve criticism. Next chapter, Zuko and Katara's night on the town!  
**

**Lady Sayomi **


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